Twice-Cooked Pork

Method

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1. Simmer the pork belly whole in water with the ginger, spring onion and Shaoxing wine for 30 minutes, until a chopstick pushes into it with slight resistance.

   Mark done Start 30 min timer

2. Lift out, cool completely, then refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight — this is what makes clean slicing possible.

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3. Slice the chilled belly into pieces about 2 mm thick and 5 cm across, each with a line of skin, fat and meat.

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4. Heat a wok until smoking, add the oil, then the pork in a single layer. Fry 3 to 4 minutes until the slices curl and their edges brown and crisp.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

5. Push the pork up the side of the wok and add the doubanjiang to the rendered fat. Fry 45 seconds until the oil turns deep red and smells fragrant.

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6. Add the black beans and garlic for 20 seconds, then the leeks and green pepper. Toss over the highest heat for 2 minutes — the vegetables should stay crunchy.

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7. Add the soy, sugar and Sichuan pepper, toss everything together for 30 seconds, and serve immediately with rice.

   Mark done Start 30 sec timer

Chef’s Tips

• Pixian doubanjiang is worth seeking out. Generic chilli bean sauce is sweeter and lacks the fermented depth.
• Do not add extra oil at the stir-fry stage. The pork gives you all you need, and more makes the dish greasy.
• Chinese leeks or garlic stems are traditional; ordinary leeks are the best widely available substitute.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• Out of spring onions? A small regular onion, finely sliced, or a few chives stirred in at the end both cover the job.
• A pinch of dried chilli flakes works in place of fresh chilli — start with about a third of the quantity the chilli in the list implies, since dried chilli is more concentrated, and add more to taste.
• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.

Pairing Suggestions

• Plenty of steamed rice
• A cooling cucumber salad with garlic and vinegar
• Cold beer

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days. Reheat in a hot wok for 2 minutes rather than the microwave, which makes the pork rubbery.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.